


proposal stories

by nearly_theyre



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - The Proposal Fusion, CEO Kuroo Tetsurou, Comedy, Fake Marriage, Fluff, Kenma is a snarky little shit and Kuroo likes it, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Certified Nerd, M/M, Minor Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Not Beta Read, Secretary Kenma Kozume, The Proposal AU, set in a big city in america
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:22:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26975812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nearly_theyre/pseuds/nearly_theyre
Summary: Kenma Kozume hated his job.Kuroo Tetsurou wants to avoid deportation.There's only one solution to fix both of their problems: get married.-----loosely based on the 2009 romcom "The Proposal"
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 12
Kudos: 101





	proposal stories

**Author's Note:**

> hey hey hey!!
> 
> this fic can also be found on my twitter [here](https://twitter.com/nearly_theyre/status/1315557774592409600?s=20) if you prefer reading fics in that form or are willing to give it a rt! I would appreciate it <3
> 
> Disclaimer: i dont know anything about visas or immigration laws or anything like that. Please take this fic with a grain of salt. I also don't know much about the company makeup of academic journals.
> 
> i hope you enjoy! remember to take care of yourself today <3

Kenma hated his job.

Being the secretary of a secretary was a menial, soul-sucking job that he was  _ desperate  _ to quit. Unfortunately, he needed the money and stability that the job offered.

You see, Kenma was alone in the big city. His parents (who had immigrated to the United States before he was born) decided that they wanted to go back to Japan, permanently. They had raised Kenma with the language and culture of their home country as much as they could, but the homesickness had never ceased enough to make living in the states worth it. Once Kenma was settled at college, they had announced their move and left the country by the time he reached his junior year.

Kenma, who was not very good at making friends, ended up alone, needing a way to pay for house and board and college fees. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on how you look at it) the city's biggest scientific journal was hiring.

Still, there were some perks to the job. Kenma really only had to interact with his supervisor - the CEO’s secretary, Akaashi Keiji, who admittedly wasn't that bad - and make phone calls. He mostly stayed in his cubicle and ignored the other workers on his floor, only adventuring out to grab coffee or lunch if Akaashi couldn’t take a long enough break. 

Speaking of Akaashi Keiji...

“Hey Akaashi, what are you doing here?” Kenma asked, pausing his game of minesweeper as he looked up past his screen. Akaashi didn’t step by Kenma’s cubicle often - he preferred to call or send digital memos to “increase efficiency.”   
  


Kenma was pretty sure that Akaashi just didn’t like to leave his desk on the top floor. 

“I need you to come with me,” Akaashi said, back ramrod straight and face deadpan. His perfectly pressed suit matched his glasses (did he change his glasses to match his suits? Kenma couldn’t be bothered to brush his hair most mornings) and radiated “don’t mess with me” energy. Kenma couldn’t really blame him - he recognized armour when he saw it. 

Kenma sighed and pushed his chair back to stand. “Do I need to bring anything?” At Akaashi’s soft _no_ _ ,  _ he let out a bigger sigh. “Do I get to know _where_ I’m going?” 

Akaashi turned around and started walking back to his office. 

_I guess that’s my answer_ , Kenma thought to himself as he followed behind, head tilted down just enough to where he could see Akaashi and still have his bangs limit his view. 

The two of them walked single file across the office, entering a small elevator on the opposite side of the room from Kenma’s corner cubicle and standing in awkward silence as it started rising. Akaashi’s well trimmed nails made a satisfying clickety sound against his phone screen. Kenma smiled softly before the elevator doors opened and Kenma realized where he was. 

The lavish greeting room and wide double doors to the CEO’s office greeted Kenma as he stepped out of the elevator. Akaashi’s desk sat to his left, everything picture perfect - including a picture of Akaashi and a silver haired man Kenma recognized smiling in each other's arms in a clean silver frame. The carpet was plush under his feet as Akaashi looked back at Kenma and offered him a soft smile. 

  
“Apologies for the secrecy, but Kuroo wanted a private meeting with you and I am well aware of how fast office gossip spreads,” Akaashi said. He sat back down at his desk and started typing, leaving Kenma to stand in shock in the middle of the room. “You can go in whenever, he’s expecting you.”

Even though Kenma had been with the company well over a year and made countless appointments for the man, he had never really _met_ Kuroo Tetsurou. The only instance he had even seen his boss was on his first day at work. He had met Akaashi at his desk and was going over some last minute paperwork and duties when a tall man with a terrible bedhead had burst from the elevator, tie crooked and one of his shoes untied. Akaashi had frowned at his appearance before offering one of the coffees he had lined on his desk to the strange man. The man offered a dorky smile and a rushed “Thanks Keiji!” before bolting past the wide double doors that stood before him now. Akaashi had only offered a quick “That’s Kuroo Tetsurou, the CEO. He has a meeting in five minutes” before continuing his conversation about tax forms.

Kenma sighed again. Not much of a choice, when the boss of your boss calls you in for a meeting.

He opened the double doors. 

Inside was a clean office, with floor to ceiling windows that lit the room and reflected a rainbow off some glass decorations hanging from the ceiling. A seating area was directly in front of him, and a large desk was to his right. Three monitors took over most of the desk, but the shelves behind were decorated with pictures and plants. The left side of the room featured a display case with every issue of the journal ever published and a larger than life periodic table hanging above a well-stocked drinks counter. It was beautiful, and much more organized than Kenma’s initial impression would have led him to believe.

A familiar man emerged from behind the desk. He was wringing his hands and had a slightly lopsided smirk on his face, and his bed head was just as bad as Kenma remembered. 

“Kozume, right? My name is Kuroo Tetsurou,” he said. His voice was low and soothing. 

Kenma stuck out his hand. “Just Kenma, please.” 

Shaking his hand, Kuroo’s eyes seemed to widen at the informality before smiling bigger and gesturing to the sitting area. “Shall we?” 

The two sat across from each other in the (admittedly, very comfortable) chairs and observed each other in silence. Kenma watched as Kuroo started fidgeting in his seat, fixing his tie (was it decorated with _molecules?)_ and tapped his foot against the carpeted floor.

Interesting. He’s nervous.

“So, Kozume-”

“Kenma.”

“Right, Kenma. Look, I need to ask you to do a favor for me.” A favor? The CEO of one of the biggest scientific journals asking for a favor from a secretary of a secretary? 

Kuroo took a deep breath. “I need you to marry me.” 

Kenma paused. That...was definitely not the direction he expected this meeting to go.

“Sir, I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Kenma said, standing up from his chair as his mind started whirring. He wished he had brought the handheld he kept in his desk drawer. “You want me to marry you?” This was ridiculous. Kenma turned around to leave the office - he didn’t even care if it got him fired. At this point he was positive he was dreaming.

Kuroo reached out to grab his wrist. “Please, just call me Kuroo. And let me explain - my future and the future of this company depends on it.”   


While Kenma was never what many would consider to be a company man, there was something in Kuroo’s voice that intrigued him. He sat back down.

“Alright, I’ll listen. Why do you want me to marry you?”    
  


Kuroo let out a relieved sigh and smiled at Kenma again. “I was born in Japan and moved to the states during high school to live with a friend, attend college and start working. I’ve been here on a visa for years, but apparently this year there was a mix up with the paperwork and they are planning to deport me.”

Kenma hummed in consideration. “That sure is unfortunate, but why does it concern me?"

Kuroo let out a little laugh of surprise at Kenma’s bluntness. “Because I can’t afford to go back to Japan now. If I leave then Daishou gets promoted and I’ll be stuck in Japan, alone, for at least a year. I’m sure you understand why that can’t happen.” 

Unfortunately, Kenma _did_ understand. Even as isolated as he kept himself here, he had still heard of Daishou Suguru and his...snakelike tendencies. There was a rumor that he was under investigation for swindling the company, but nothing was ever proven and he kept his position as editor in chief. It would be unfortunate to make appointments for a man who leered like that. 

“I see your problem,” Kenma hummed. “And your first solution was...to ask for my hand in marriage?” 

“Actually, my first plan was to ask for Akaashi’s hand in marriage,” Kuroo snarked. “But both him and his boyfriend vetoed that plan. Akaashi was actually the one who recommended you - is it true you speak Japanese? And have visited the country?”   
  


Kenma was going to kill Akaashi Keiji. 

“Yes.”

“See? You’d totally be able to convince the immigration officer that we’re engaged,” Kuroo smiled. This one seemed a little faker than the earlier ones - he was nervous again.

Shifting forward to place his weight on his knees, Kenma lifted his eyes to look directly at Kuroo. 

Interesting. 

“Let me get this straight,” Kenma said. “You want me to agree to this marriage and subsequently fraud the immigration offices to avoid your deportation which, if caught, would send me to jail with a large fine?” 

Kuroo swallowed. “Sounds about right.”   


Kenma smiled, teeth bared. For all that he was quiet and introverted, Kenma was no fool. And he had plans beyond this menial job at an academic journal. 

Across from him, Kuroo’s checks started to redden.

“Alright, I accept,” Kenma leaned back. “On some conditions, of course.”

Kuroo nodded. “Of course. What do you want?”   
  


“I want you to get me a position at Black Jackals games.”   
  


Checkmate.

Sputtering, Kuroo rocked back. “Why would you think I can get you a position at Jackals? That’s the biggest gaming company in the city! I run an academic journal, if you haven’t noticed.” He looked kinda cute when he was flustered, if Kenma was being honest with himself.

“I might only be underling here, but I have eyes. Black Jackals is run by Bokuto Koutarou, the same man featured in half the photographs behind your desk and the one on Akaashi’s. If I had to wager a guess, Bokuto was the friend in the states you lived with when you came here. You’re an important part of his life and he listens to you.”

A stunned silence settled between them. Kenma smiled, a little smug. “Oh, and I want that in writing.” 

Kuroo’s crooked smile grew until he was full out laughing at the situation he found himself in. His laugh was loud and hyena-like, but Kenma found himself proud at provoking that reaction out of Kuroo. 

“You got yourself a deal, Kozume Kenma. I think I’ll like being married to you.”

**Author's Note:**

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> 
> don't forget to drink some water, take ur meds, eat some good food, and sleep! I love you!
> 
> please leave a comment and kudos to tell me what you think <3


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